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No Croutons Required - Favorite Vegetarian Soups and Salads

Regular contributors to NCR will know that Jacqueline and I have made some changes to this long running event as we roll into 2014. Rather than focusing on a specific theme, we are making things more general so it is easier for cooks to submit their favorite vegetarian soups and salads. We certainly received plenty of tempting recipes. Thanks to everyone who took the time to participate this month.

Now settle in and see what has been going on in kitchens around the world. We certainly received some tempting dishes this month. Let us start with the soups.

Chef: WonderlustingBlog: WonderlustingLocation: UK
This cook is nuts about cashews and this spicy bowl includes raw cashew nuts, roasted cashew nuts and cashew nut butter. They come together with dried red chilies, tomatoes and peppers. No croutons are required, but I'm glad these plantain croutons made their way into the bowl.

Chef: CarolineBlog: Caroline MakesLocation: London, UK
On a quest to eat more vegetables and also to use up some cheese left over from Christmas, Caroline tricks herself by sneaking broccoli and zucchini into this creamy and cheesy blended soup. A fine way to serve up a healthy dose of veggies.

This fragrant and colorful soup is my contribution this month. Sweet potatoes and earthy, robust kidney beans are simmered in a spicy Thai-inspired broth, complete with homemade Thai red curry paste. Just what I needed on a cold winter night.

I never can resist mushrooms and they make an appearance in this brothy soup along with scallions, garlic, ginger, tofu, rice vinegar and soy sauce. Deena tells us it comes together in hardly anytime at all and is very warming.

Inspired by recent trip to Mexico City, Janet cooked up with this mouthwatering mole that surprisingly includes chocolate. The dark chocolate is an intriguing backdrop to the vegetables, chickpeas, rice and seasoning and spices that come together in this hearty soup.

This lovely and creamy soup combines the goodness of lentils, carrots, onions, garlic and potatoes. The addition of lentils provides "a smooth rib sticking velvety feel" to the potage. Served with some crusty bread, this would certainly be a satisfying winter evening meal.

Gayathri didn't want to brave frigid conditions outdoors so she raided her pantry and came up with this beautiful silky and spicy soup. Earthly black beans are complemented by smoky chipotles and aromatics and spices. It's topped off with a delightful fruity salsa with lime for extra sweet and sour flair.

Soup is a Saturday ritual at Sarah's house, and she shares this easy blended soup that makes good use of leftover bits from the fridge. Leeks and potatoes are blended with vegetable stock and cream and then garnished with homemade croutons. Yet another warming soup to add to your menus.

Those that aren't fussy on cauliflower ought to give this soup a try. In this case, the cauliflower is roasted along with onion and smoked paprika for a deeper flavor and then simmered in vegetable stock. Cheddar and Lancashire cheese are stirred in at the end to complete this flavorful dish.

On a mission to clean out her fridge and waste nothing, Sally makes up this delightful vegetable packed soup. Onion, fennel and celery come together with tomatoes, shredded cabbage, a bit of pasta, green beans and fresh herbs. Served with crusty bread, you are in for a treat.

There certainly isn't anything boring about Katie's refreshing Thai inspired soup that she served up for lunch. Rice noodles and pak choi are served in a delicious broth of coconut milk, green curry paste, ginger, lime, peanut butter, soy sauce and lime. Garnish with peanuts to fill it out a bit more.

My dear friend Jacqueline and co-host of this event came up with soup to use up some parsnips lingering in the fridge. Here they come together with chopped and grated carrots, onion, garlic, a bit of spice and red lentils. Surely a satisfying winter soup with interesting texture.

Laura was faced with an abundance of parsnips, so she made them the focal point of a soup. They are joined here by leeks, apples and rosemary. Easy to prepare with earthy flavors, the apples add some nice sweetness. Blended soups are always a comfort.

Being an especially cold winter, soups are certainly a must. Pravina decided to make slow-cooked soup that was a breeze to prepare and nice and warm for dinner. Carrots and chickpeas are simmered in a onion tomato gravy. Pasta is added part way through the cooking time along with bell pepper and the hearty soup is then garnished with fresh herbs.

Shaheen takes advantage of artichokes which she says is an under appreciated winter vegetable. Here they shine with rosemary. The best part is she tops her soup with homemade artichoke crisps that are sprinkled with rosemary salt. Time to seek out some Jerusalem artichokes.

And now for some salads that you might wish to consider serving alongside some soup:

Needing a cleanse after the holidays, Corina offers up a satisfying salad consisting of grated carrot, onion and cucumber dressed with olive oil and vinegar. It's served over couscous, and topped with divine sounding sesame feta fritters and homemade pita bread croutons.

Inspired by the flavors of Morocco, Laura presents this intriguing salad made up of chili spiced oranges, sticky dates, salty tangy olives and refreshing parsley with a splash of extra virgin olive oil. I would be going back for seconds.

I've never tried black salsify before, but I would be sure to enjoy it. Galina tells us that it is delicately flavored root vegetable. She makes up a salad that includes wild mushrooms. Add some garlic into the mix, along with olive oil, butter, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and pine nuts and you have one fine winter salad.

Antonia is typically not a big fan of beetroot, but when one arrived in her vegetable box, she decided to try something different. Here orangey beet comes together with watercress, pine nuts, chilies, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Delicious.

For the first time, Johanna made and enjoyed a Caesar Salad. This vegan version features lettuce, and also tempeh bacon and homemade sourdough bread croutons. The salad base is served alongside a tofu besan omelet and drizzled with a dressing that features cashew butter, garlic, tamari, olive oil and lemon juice. I'm intrigued!

In a quest to eat healthier, Vohn tosses together this luscious salad. Lettuce, cabbage, bell pepper, spring onions, olives and mixed beans are dressed with mashed avocado and lime juice. Love the different flavors and textures at play here.

And that concludes the roundup for this month. Jacqueline will be hosting the February edition of NCR. Be sure to visit her blog at the beginning of the month for the announcement.

Based in London, Ontario, a veteran vegetarian for 23 years serves up a collection of delicious culinary creations from her kitchen, with an emphasis on spicy Indian dishes and whole foods. If you want to know what sensible vegetarians eat, Lisa's Kitchen is the place to be.